Automatic fluid pipe connecter train coupling



Jan. 3, A 3 HNSON 1,892,953

FLUID PIPE CONNECTER TRAIN COUPLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 AUTOMATIC FiledAug. 27, 1929 ow N r Q Q T- V) f x m m Q Q 1"" illlllllll Q J a if?INVENTOE ALBEE 7" 5. inHNso/v LWQ M A T TOENEYJ Jan. 3, A, 5 S N1,892,953

AUTOMATIC FLUID PIPE GONNECTER TRAIN COUPLING Filed Aug. 27, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 35 by a.

Patented. Jan. 3, 1933 untrue STATES PATENT QFFMZE ALBERT S.

JOHNSON, OF 110$ ANGELES, CALIFORNIA AUTOMATIC FLUID PIPE CONNECTERTRAIN COUPLING Application filed August 27, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in an automatic fluid pipeconnector train coupling, and particularly pertains to means forautomatically coupling the steam, air and signal lines of railway cars,as generally indicated in the United States Letters Patent No.1,173,997, issued to J. L. Cobb, Feb. 29, 1916.

In structures embodying complementary coupler heads for establishingcommunication between lines carrying fluids under pressure, as commonlyoccurs in a railway brake, it is desirable to provide means whereby thepressure of the fluid in the lines being 5 coupled shall act to maintainthe complementary coupling heads in their interlocked positions, and toat the same time permit substantially universal movement of the twoheads as a unit due to grades and curves negctiated by the coupled cars.

0 cause all conduits to leak at their oints; and

it is the principal object of the present invention to provide meansincorporated in the complementary coupler heads of an automatic flu'dconduit connecter train coupling wheree fluid having the dominatingpressure will act to hold the coupler heads in their interlockedpositions, irrespective of variation in the pressure of the fluids intheir respective conduits, or with relation to each other.

The present invention contemplates the provision of complementarycoupler head members, suitably suspended with relation to the draw/barcouplers of railway cars, and which members may automatically move to aninterlocked position when the draw-bar couplers are connected, and willthereby establish communication between the fluid conduits usuallyprovided on railway cars for air, steam and signal air; said heads beingpro- 0 vided with pressure means which close the Serial No. 388,717.

heads and hold them in interlocked relation witn each other; saidpressure means being actuated by the pressure of either the steam or theair in the train lines.

The invention is more particularly described by way of example in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a fragmentary view inhorizontal section and elevation showing the coupler head units in theirinterlocked position and 6 showing in detail one of the expansion units.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View in horizontal sec tion showing one form ofclosing unit adapted to be actuated alternately by steam or air.

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section through the portion of thestructure shown in Fig. 2, and discloses the slide valve member by whichthe fluid of greater pressure will actuate the closing members.

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section showing a fragmentary portion ofthe structure as indicated in Fig. 2, but with the parts interchanged toprovide diaphragm actuating means as would be adequate when only onefluid is required, as for instance, on freight cars.

Referring more particularly to the drawlugs, 10 and 11 indicatecomplementary coupling heads. Each of the coupler heads includes atongue 12 and a guide structure 13.

The tongues are formed with a plurality of longitudinal compartmentsproviding passageways with which the air signal line 14, the air brakeline 15 and the steam line 16 communicate. These compartments areindicatcd at 17, 18 and 19 in Fig. 3 of the drawings, where it will beseen that the air signal line compartment 17 has a. port 20 in thevertical face of the tongue 12; that the air compartment 18 has a port21 in the face of the tongue, and that the steam compartment 19 has aport 22. It will be understood that when the tongues 12 of thecomplementary coupler heads 10 and 11 are in interlocking andoverlapping relation with each other as guided by the guide members 13,that the ports 20, 21 and 22 in the abutting faces of the tongues willbe in register, and the present invention is particularly concerned withmeans for maintaining this register irrespec- 1 tive of angular movementof the coupler head in a vertical or horizontal plane.

The present invention contemplates means actuated by the pressure of thefluids delivered through conduits 15 and 16 to the compartments 18-and19, to hold the abutting faces of the tongues in contact. with eachother, and withthe ports in exact register so as to insure that thefluids will notleak.

through the joint between the tongues. This ,tight joint is broughtabout by pressure members 23 mounted within expanding chambers '24;wherein the pressure members are expanded outwardly from the oppositesides of the complementary tongues and are thereby forced against thevertical walls of the guides 13. The guides are so constructed as to besubstantially non-yielding to the force against them exerted by thepressure members 23 and will thus force the complementary tongues 12together and will maintain the ports 20, 21 and 22 in register with eachother and their gaskets 25 in intimate contactto prevent leakage.

The expansion chamber 24includes a cylindrical bushing 26 which extendsinto a cylindricalbore 27 in the outer face of each of the tongues 12.The outer end of the bushing 26 is housed within a cap 28 which fitsdown over the extending end of the bushing and has a bolting flange 29by which it may be secured to the side wall of the tonguesbya seriesofbolts 30. A suitable packing gasket 31 is interposed between thebolting flange 29 and the side wall tongues to prevent leakage.

The outer end of the bushing 26 rests against the end wall of the cap28, thus making a complete cylinder for the reception of a fluid underpressure. The pressure member 23 reciprocates longitudinally ofthebushing 26 and extends through a guide bushing 33, carried in the endwall32 of the cap 28. A compression spring 34 encirclesthe pressuremember 23 and rests at one end against the end wall 32 of the cap 28,while being disposed at its opposite end beneath the head 35 of thepressure member 23. This spring acts to return the closing member fromex panded to normal position. The head 35 rests against the end wall ofa piston 36, which piston reciprocates within the bushing 26.

This reciprocable movement is brought about by the'pressure of a fluiddelivered to the chamber 37 from either the air compartment 18 or thesteam compartment 19. It is to be understood, that it is necessary thatwhen the heads are in their coupled condition, the members 23 exertasuflicient pressure against the guides 13 to insure that the abuttingfaces of the tongues are held in this position to prevent leakage. Itwill also be understood that if the closing unit in one of the headsshould for any reason fail to function theconst-ruction is such thattheopera:

tive unit in the otherhead will exert sufli V cient closing force tokeep all ports tight.

It has been found in practice that at some times during the operation,of the devices, the air pressure exceedsthat of the steam pressure, andit is desirable that this pressure shall be used to hold the tongues intheir interlocked condition. If however, the air pressure drops and thesteam pressure exceedsthat of the air pressure, it is intended that thesteam pressure shall act uponthe piston 36, to force the pressuremembers 23 outwardly, and maintain the connection between the tongueswithout leakage. This is accomplished by a piston valve member 38mounted in a valve bore 39. This bore extends upwardlywith its axisvertical within the wall 40 which, divides. the expansion chamber 3'?from the fluid compartments 17, 18 and 19; An inlet air port 41establishes communication between the air compartment 18 and the upperend of the bore 39, and an inlet steam port 42 establishescommunicationbetween the steam compartment 19 and the lower end of the bore 39.Outlet air ports 43 and 44 are formed in the side wall of the bore 39opposite from the ports 41 and 42. These outlet ports establishcommunication between the bore 39 and the expansion chamber 37-. It isintended, however, that the piston valve 38 shall be actuated bypressure ofone of the fluids to move the piston valve so that atany onetime communication is established between the fluid compartment of onefluid and the expansion chamber 37.

A spring 45 is mounted within the bore 39 and is held by the plug 46.This spring normally holds the piston valve 38 so that-communicationwill be established with the steam V compartment 19 through ports 42 and44. Stems 47 and-48 are formed on the opposite ends of the piston valve38, and limit the longitudinal movement of this valve under pressure, sothat proper cut-off of the ports will at all times be insured. 1 v it iscommon practice to equip passenger trainswith both air for air brakes,and steam for heating purposes. It will be evident that it is notnecessary nor usual to provide steam lines for freight trains. Due tothis usage, it is only necessary to provide the structure previouslydescribed for use on passenger trains. When, however, the coupling is tobe used on freight trains, the bushing 26 and its associated structuremay be removed and an arcuate seat 49 positioned within the bore 27Disposed above this seat and clamped by the bolting flange 29 is adiaphragm 50. This diaphragm is actuated by air pressure delivered fromthe compartment 18 to flex the diaphragm and force the pressure member23. outwardly as and for the purposes previously described.

. In the operation of the form of the ins ventionshown in Figs. 1 2 and3, inclusive,

of the drawings, thecomplementary coupling heads and 11 will movetogether, and the adjacent vertical faces of the tongues 12 will bebrought to coincide in a common vertical plane. As soon as the fluidlines are opened the fluids will flow from the conduits through theirrespective air compartments, and'pass into the complementary aircompartments of p the adjacent coupling tongue, through ports 20, 21 andAs the lines are being built up with the pressure of the fluidscontained within them, the fluids will at the same time pass throughports 41 and 42, into the opposite ends of the valve bore, 39. The fluidof predominating pressure will then act upon the piston valve 38 .tomove that valve so as to .establish communication between the expansionchamber 37 and the compartment containing the fluid of dominatingpressure. For example, in the event that the air pressure is greater,the air passing from the com pa-rtment 18 through the port 41 to theupper end of the valve bore 39, will cause the piston valve 38 to' movedownwardly until it uncovers the port 43, at which time communicationwill be established from the air compartment 18 to the expansion chamber37. The fluid under pressure within the expansion chamber 37 will movethe piston 36 in the .direction of the arrow a, as indicated inFig. 8 ofthe drawings, and this in turn will exert a considerable force upon themember 23, to create pressure against the vertical wall of the guides13, thereby reacting to hold the abutting faces of the tongues in fixedrelation to each other, and the fluid ports in anon-leaking condition.

In the event that the air pressure should be lowered to a de ree lessthan the steam pressure, or that the steam pressure should increase to adegree greater than the airpressure, the steam pressure will act toforce the piston valve 38 upwardly, thereby cutting off l'llQ'iPOIt 43and uncovering port all to establish communicationfrom the steamcompartment 19 to the expansion chamber 37 through ports 42 and By thisarrangement it will be insured that the maximum pressure of either fluidin the coupler head will be at all times exerted within the expansionchamber to force the pressure members 23 outwardly, and thatthestructure insures an automatic compression so that the fluid ofdominating pressure will be rendered eli'ective.

Attention is directed to the fact that the expansion spring 45 normallyholds the piston valve 38 upwardly so that the steam will be free :toflow into the expansion chamber initially. Pins 4:? and 48 extendlongitudinally from the opposite ends of the piston valve 38,.andpreventextreme movement of the piston valve which might causesticking,.or'otherwise renderzthe valve mechanism inoperative.

The arrangement whereby the steam ports are at the lower end of thepiston bore 39, insures that any condensation in the steam would drainout through the drain duct in the plug l6.

Another important function of said valve is to permit release ofpressure on the closing member so this may instantly resume its normalposition by action of the compressing spring 34 the moment fluids areshut off (so that the connecting heads may be separated without anyfriction on their port gaskets.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4: of the drawings, thestructure is only concerned ith the use of air under pressure providedfor operation of the brakes, in which instance, it may be desirable toeliminate the metal piston and its structure as required when steam isused, and to substitute therefor 'a simple flexible diaphragm which willact i the same manner as the piston 36, and will ore-e the pressuremember 23 out wardly t hold the tongues of the coupling heads in theirinterlocked positions.

It will thus be seen that the device here disclosed, while simple inoperation, provides an effective means for holding a fluid coupling in aconnected and non leaking condition by utilizing the pressureof thetluidpassingthrough the coupling, and by means for increasing the closingforce of said fluids to act against the tendency of the expanding forceof said fluids to escape, and particularly where the conduits of twofluids are connected, the fluid of predominating pressure will at alltimes provide the expansive force for holding the couplers together.

dVhilo I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known tome, it will be understood that various changes might be made in thecombination, construction and arrangement of all parts without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLettcrsPatcut is.

1. In train line pressure fluid couplers adapted to conduct more thanone pressure fluid, separate lines for conveying the pressure fluids tosaid couplers, pressure actuated meansto maintain said couplers inpositive engagement under action of said fluids, and automatic means todirect the fluid having predominating pressure to actuate said pres suremeans to maintain said couplers in sealed relation.

2. In train line pressure fluid couplers which are adapted to conductvariable pressure fluids, separate lines for carrying said fluids to theconveying elements, pressure actuated means to maintain said couplers insealed relation, and automatically selective means to employ the fluidhaving the predominating pressure to actuate said means to maintain saidcouplers in sealedrelation.

. interlock said couplers, a piston adapted to maintain saidinterlocking means in locked position, and automatic means to direct thefluid in the pipe which is of predominating pressure to actuate saidpiston, whereby said couplers will be maintained in positive connection.5. In train line couplers for fluids under variable pressures, fluidpressure pipes connected with said couplers, means to cause ports insaid couplers to be aligned one with the otherya piston, apistonactuated plunger to exert pressure to maintain said couplers in sealedrelation, and auto-selective means to direct the fluid in the pipe whichis of predominating pressure to actuate said piston, whereby saidcouplers will be maintained in positive interlock.

6. In train line couplers for fluids under variable pressures, fluidpressure pipes connected with said couplers, means to cause fluid portsin said couplers to be self aligned, a piston actuated plunger to effectpositive union between aligned fluid ports and autoselective means todirect the fluid in the pipe which is of predominating pressure toactuate said plunger, said selective means being a pilot piston whoseoperating cylinder is in communication'with said fluid ports and thechamber in which said piston operates and which pilot piston is adaptedto cover a port fromsaid cylinder to said chamber. 7. In train linecouplers for fluids under 2 variable pressures, fluid pressure pipesconnected w1th said couplers, means to cause ports in said couplers tobe self-aligned, a piston actuated plunger to effect positive unionbetween said aligned ports, and auto-selective means to direct the fluidin the pipe which is ofpredominating pressure to actuate said plunger,said means being a pilot piston adapted to move in response topreponderant pressure whereby ports in said coupler will be uncovered topermit said preponderant pressure to actuate said plunger to force andto maintain said aligned ports in posi tive sealed relation.

8. In train line couplers for fluids under variable pressures, fluidpressure pipes connected with said couplers, means to cause ports insaid couplers to be self-aligned, a piston actuated plunger to efl'ectpositive union between said aligned ports, auto-selective means todirect the fluid in the pipe which is of predominating pressure toact'u'v ate said plunger, said means being a pilot piston adapted tomove in response to a prepondrant pressure to uncover a port in thecoupler .whereby'said preponderant pressure may flow to actuate saidpiston actuated plunger, and meansto so position said pilot piston thatan efl'ective pressure .is constantly maintained on said couplerswhereby to seal said aligned fluid pressure ponts.

9. In train line couplers for fluids under variable pressures, fluidpressure pipes connected with said couplers, means to cause ports forsaid fluids. tobe self-aligned, a pisbetween said aligned ports,auto-selective means to direct the fluid in the pipe which is ofpredominating pressure to actuate said plunger, said means being a pilotpiston adapted to move in'response to apreponderant pressure to uncoverports" in the coupler wherebysaid preponderant pressure may flow toactuate said piston: actuated plunger, means to so positionsaid pilotpiston that an eflective pressure is constantly maintainedon said pistonwhereby said fluid pressure ports will be positively seated, and meansto limit the movement ofsaid pilot piston.

10. In train line couplers for fluids under variable pressures, fluidpressure pipes con nected with said couplers, means to cause ports forsaid fluids to be self-aligned, a piston actuated plunger to effectpositive union between said aligned ports, auto-selective means todirect thefluid in thepipe which is of predominating pressure to actuatesaid piston plunger, said means being a pilot-piston adapted to move inresponse to a preponderant pressure to uncoved ports in the couplerwhereby'said preponderant pressure may 'flow to actuate said pistonactuated plunger, means acting to maintain a pressure source in constantengagement with said piston and means to return said piston toinoperative position when said pressure fluids have been cutofl fromsaid train line.

11. A train coupler comprising complementary coupling members adapted tobe moved to interlocking positions, fluid pressure pipes carried by eachcoupling member, fluid pressure actuated means for holding said couplingmembers in their interlocking positions and an automatically actingvalve adapted to control the flow of fluid under pressure to said fluidpressure actuating means, said valve being simultaneously acted upon bythe fluid in two of said fluid pressure lines when the coupling membersare connected and in a manner wherebythe flow of the fluid having thepredominating pressure will at all times be maintained in said fluidpressure actuating means.

- ALBERT S. JOHNSON.

ton actuated plunger to eflect positive union 9

